James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for raising this important matter. Ireland’s employment permits system is designed to accommodate the arrival of non-EEA nationals to fill skills and labour gaps for the benefit of our economy in the short to medium term. This objective must be balanced by the need to ensure there are no suitably qualified Irish or EEA nationals available to undertake the work and that the shortage is a genuine one. The system is managed through the operation of the critical skills and ineligible occupations lists, which determine employments that are either in high demand or are ineligible for an employment permit where it is evidenced that there is more than sufficient availability of those skills in the domestic and EEA labour market. In order to ensure the employment permits system is aligned with current labour market intelligence, these lists undergo regular evidence-based review guided by relevant research, a public and stakeholder consultation, the views of the economic migration interdepartmental group and relevant policy Departments, in this case the Department of Health.

Access to the general employment permit, GEP, for the role of healthcare assistant was announced in June 2021 to address skills and labour shortages in the healthcare and nursing home sector. Increases in the ageing population and consequent increases in demand for services mean a significant number of healthcare assistants is required to provide sufficient long-term residential care for older people into the future. The GEP is used by the State to attract third country nationals in occupations with remuneration thresholds of generally €30,000 and is subject to a labour market needs test, demonstrating that the employer was unable to fill the position from the Irish and EEA labour market.

This policy also fulfils our obligations under the community preference principles of membership of the EU. Holders of general employment permits are eligible to apply to the Minister for Justice for family reunification permissions after a period of one year. The conditions governing family reunification, including the remuneration levels required to apply, are a matter for the Department of Justice.

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